So, we've talked about a great Halloween trip I planned, which I'm only going to get to do part of, and awesome packable costumes, but maybe you want to travel to places where Halloween is really celebrated. If that's you and you don't want me telling you what to see and do, this infographic has some fun facts and places where Halloween is big around the world.
Will you stay home or travel for Halloween? I'm doing both! I'll be doing Halloween festivities in Philly and then coming home to do them in Portland on actual Halloween, with our annual adults-only party to follow.
A few years ago, I found out that Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania (a suburb of Philly) had a Harry Potter Weekend in October and I planned an entire trip around this activity. I've had to change up my plans and the weekend has been changed to Witches and Wizards Weekend, due to Warner Bros cracking down on anything with the name Harry Potter in it and my own one-week limitation of a vacation. Either way, I still think all these activities sound awesome and can make a fantastic Halloween trip, or even just some fun stops as part of a different trip.
Salem, Massachusetts
Where better to celebrate Halloween than witch-central? All October long you’ll find themed festivities and attractions including a carnival, haunted house, spooky tours and more. Every day of the month you’ll find something going on. This is my kind of town. Where else can you hit the farmers’ market during the day and then see the Crucible at night and get your palm read and go to a witchcraft shop in between? There might be some places, but I doubt many. And there are even fewer places where you can visit the actual places where witch trials took place. This is definitely on my list of must-see places.
4D Haunted Adventure at Salem Time Machine - It's a "haunted" attraction for the whole family. You get 3D glasses, walk around in a blacklight environment that takes you through a narrated Olde Salem. It sounds really dumb, but also really fun. If you want to be scared, do the 4D Haunted House instead, with live scare actors.
Derby Stree Carnival
Museum Place Mall - They show two 3D short films that tell you about Salem and the history of Halloween. There's also live music on the weekends.
Salem Haunted Magic Show - 'Nuff said.
Visit Lady Irene - A Greek psychic who reads coffee...? I dunno what that entails, but I want to see!
Haunted Dinner Theater at the Hawthorne Hotel - The show changes every year, but it always sounds fun.
For 25 years, the pumpkin festival has been held in Keene, but it has now moved north to Laconia to eliminate the many drunken college students who congregated in the small town square. The community comes together to carve pumpkins to add to the pyramid for one of the nation's biggest collection of jack-o-lanterns. for one day, the town lights up with pumpkins, a beer garden, parade and other fun stuff, like magic, vendor booths and face painting.
So, I would go to Boston for anything specifically Halloween-related, but that doesn't mean they don't have anything. We have family there to visit, plus seafood! Save money on sightseeing with the Boston CityPASS. Valid for 9 days from first use and covers the top Boston attractions for just $54 per person (adult). See the best of Boston with your pass and have plenty of time to do it in. There’s something for everyoneand you save almost half off admission prices! Here are just a few I think would be fun.
New England Aquarium
Museum of Science
Skywalk Observatory
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Harvard Museum of Natural History OR The Old State House
If you're looking for other things in Boston that are Halloween-themed, there are several corn mazes (haunted and traditional) around the area with pumpkin patches and haunted houses. Factory of Terror has a one of the best haunted attractions in the area. Boston College Club runs a wine tasting with craft beer, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a charity silent auction. The Haunted Castle Bash has a cocktail reception, dancing and hors d'oeuvres. Find more ideas here.
Because of the cease and desist from Warner Bros, the town has had to rethink how to run this festival and even the name has changed to Witches and Wizards Weekend (and was called Wands and Wizards Fest just a few weeks ago). It looks like it's going to be more about Halloween than Harry Potter, which is okay, but disappointing. There will still be a pub crawl and Quidditch tournament, so we will still go and report back. Watch this video:
Okay, so the pièce de résistance of this trip, and the reason I want to go is the Chestnut Hill Harry Potter Weekend. For two days, the town turns into Hogsmeade and the college is turned into Hogwarts. Visitors are strongly encouraged to dress up (uh, yes please!) and participate in awesome activities, like dueling classes, make new friends, ride the "Knight Bus", go on a Butterbeer crawl and watch a Quidditch tournament.
Since Philadelphia is just a short drive from Chestnut Hill, why not check out what it has to offer. In October, you can look forward to the Chrysanthemum Festival, the Schuylkill Regatta and South Street's Pumpkin Festival. The Mutter Museum, a museum of weird and interesting medical stuff, has always been on my list, so I'm totally going to hit that up. Aside from that, there's tons of history. You can purchase the Philadelphia CityPASS for $59 and check out 4 of these 5 things:
Who doesn't love chocolate? Well, I do, so this seems like a no-brainer. Candy for days, a theme park and walking chocolate bars! I'm totally in! Plus it's right next door to:
Another thing that's been on my wish list for a long time. I'd love to buy some sweet homemade quilts and other goodies, while learning more about the Amish community and way of life. Maybe I'll get a chance to ride in one of those horse and buggies where cars aren't a problem like they are in the city. Believe it or not, there are a lot of things to do here, from museums and tours to driving over (through?) covered bridges and wine tasting. If you've been to any of these places, what were your favorite things to see or do?
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If you're thinking of trying Swagbucks, this is a great chance to learn all about how the site works and earn bonus points while doing it, meaning you can get more gift cards faster. Here are a few tips:
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Fill up your board and then submit your pattern to get even more points - if you can fill in the whole board, you get a 500 SB bonus, which is enough for a $5 gift card from the retailer of your choice.
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Disclaimer: This post has affiliate links and I will receive compensation in the form of SB when you sign up through that link.
